Electrical interfaces are frequently included on an electronic device to support external accessories. The electrical interface provides access to the internal functions of the electronic device. For example, in a typical application, a two-way radio has an electrical interface in the form of an accessory connector port accessible through an opening within the radio housing. The connector port includes multiple electrical contacts which are externally accessible for mating with an accessory connector. Preferably, these contacts are protected from environmental contaminants, such as moisture, dust, corrosive fumes, and the like, which can affect the contacts to reduce performance of the interface, and in some cases cause an electrical short between contacts.
To protect the contacts, a typical prior art solution involves placing a removable protective cover over the interface However, removable covers tend to be inconvenient and are easily misplaced. As such, the cover is usually attached in some manner to the device housing to reduce the likelihood of misplacement. Both the cover and the attachment mechanism consume valuable space. This presents a problem for designers trying to achieve smaller product packages, as the cover usually represents unwanted bulk for the typical user.
Additionally, it is often desirable to prevent environmental contaminants from entering within the radio, or other electronic device, through the opening within the housing accommodating the interface. Such contaminants may adversely affect the internal components of the device, and thus, the overall performance of the device. Ordinarily, this problem is addressed by sealing the opening between the interface and the device housing.
A need exists for electrical interfaces, such as connector ports, which are sealed to protect against damage to the internal components of the electronic device. Moreover, electrical contacts must be protected from the environment, and must be protected from common problems such as an inadvertent electrical short. It is desirable that the interface protection scheme be unobtrusive, and yet provide convenient access to the electrical contacts on the electrical interface.